Dwyer girls basketball team proves too much for Blanche Ely

After allowing Ely back into game, Dwyer closes out fourth quarter on 10-1 run to earn win

Dwyer's Kiandra Bowers fights her way to the basket against Ely. (Ginny Dixon, Sun Sentinel )

December 21, 2011|By Christy Cabrera Chirinos, Sun Sentinel

HOLLYWOOD — Early in the game, Dwyer proved too big and too strong for Blanche Ely.

Then the Tigers, a team of mostly freshmen, rallied to pull within five early in the fourth quarter.

The effort wasn't enough though as the Panthers regained their composure, pulling away to earn a 45-31 victory over Ely in opening-round play of the South Florida Holiday Classic.

Dwyer (13-1) advances to a Thursday semifinal against Miami Dr. Krop, which advanced with a win over Santaluces.

Hollywood Christian and Palm Beach Lakes will meet in the tournament's other semifinal.

"We can do that sometimes, get overconfident and start playing down," said Dwyer's Kai James, who finished with six points. "But we knew what we had to do, and we started playing together. When we do that, we can wear teams down."

After a sloppy first quarter in which both teams turned the ball over and missed open shots, Dwyer was able to build a 26-9 halftime lead after closing the second quarter on a 13-4 run.

In the third, however, Ely (4-5) found a spark.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jamesha Paul and JaShay Fuller pulled the Tigers within 28-17. The Tigers cut into that deficit even further after another 3-pointer — this one from Resacia DeGraffenreidt — in the opening minute of the fourth.